


Matter of Course

by BumbleFree



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Caring Levi, Clingy and needy Eren, Fluff and Angst, Hints of gang rape, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Past Sexual Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-06
Updated: 2015-01-06
Packaged: 2018-03-06 08:59:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3128738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BumbleFree/pseuds/BumbleFree
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Levi approaches Eren in shock, he can only assume what's happened by the scene that was left behind. And he will refuse to leave Eren's side afterwards. Even if comforting was never one of the Corporal's greatest abilities, Eren wants him to stay close either way. To him the shorter man's presence had always been something comforting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Matter of Course

**Author's Note:**

> The Survey Corps have obtained custody of Eren Jäger, the titan shifter. But there are many who can't quite agree with the government's decision.
> 
> Hope you enjoy. ^^'
>
>> ####  [My tumblr: Feel free to stop by!](https://corporaljaegerssweetass.tumblr.com/)

Levi unlocked the doors to the cellar and stepped down the stairs, his low voice echoing off the walls as he addressed the titan shifter.

“Oi Eren-“ He cut himself off when he found the boy sitting upright in his bed, covered in bruises and scars, looking as if he had cried the entire night. But instead of a normally panicked reaction, he turned his head and softly smiled at Levi, already having stopped crying apparently.

“Good morning-,… Captain.” 

“Oi… Good morning? What the hell happened to you!?” Levi snapped, fury rising in his gut and burning it with boiling anger.  
Eren twitched, intimidated, and started stuttering swollen words.

“I- I don’t know who they were… I couldn’t see their faces…” 

“They?” Levi’s shocked eyes narrowed and he was by Eren’s side in split seconds, taking off the shackles in a rush, frantically fiddling with the key. “Dammit, fucking bastards," he strainedly cursed under his breath, seeing that they had even cut off one of Eren’s strands that normally grazed over his cheek. It was now shorter and above his ear.  
As soon as the chains hit the floor, Eren was pulled up into strong arms, held in a tight embrace as Levi hugged him close, partly to check if he was still breathing. But the older male didn’t calm down even when he felt the boy’s steady heartbeat.

“I’ve had it. I’m staying with you-, every night if I have to!” Levi snarled deeply, trying not to completely lose his mind in front of the brat. 

“What? No, Captain you mustn’t-!” Eren was interrupted by his infuriated superior.

“Enough! You think I’ll let anybody get away with this?” He yanked Eren back by his shoulders to face him. “This is inacceptable, Eren! You’re my subordinate- I was ordered to protect you and so I shall. If anyone has a problem with that, they’ll have to bear the consequences, not YOU!” The Captain instinctively started rocking Eren a bit to not start shaking with anger and finally lifted him out of his bed. “That’s it. You’re not going back in here until I say it’s safe to do so.” 

“But Captain, that’s dangero-!” Eren broke off anew as he flinched, suddenly writhing in pain in Levi’s guarding arms. “Ugh- mhh…” 

“What is it? Where does it hurt?” Levi wanted to know instantly. The quivering boy just shook his head, tears approaching again. But then his superior noticed something. The kid was missing his pants. Crimson. Dry as well as wet blood was sticking between Eren’s legs, running down his inner thighs.  
If Levi was mad before, he was the devil himself in person now. His features twisted in fury like no other, the glare of Eren’s titan was a puppy pout compared to it. One thing was for sure, Levi would find those unbelievable, good for nothing bastards, poor excuses for humans, and deform them in ways so that even their own mother or nona wouldn’t recognize them anymore! That he swore by his word. Levi decided not to confront Eren just yet, and hurriedly carried the trembling boy to the washrooms in silence. He made sure not to bump into any of his squad members, not in the mood for explanations as to why he was carrying a bloody Eren through the castle, bridal styled.

“Can you sit?” Levi asked while Eren clung to him for dear life. He nodded slowly before his Captain carefully set him down on the edge of a bathtub. “You’ll have to take off your shirt,” Levi said, and Eren slowly slid it off obediently, his superior soaking it in a washbowl, also taking off his jacket and putting his cravat aside. His breath caught in his chest when he turned back to a hunched over Eren. He was filthy all over, bruised with hickeys and scars, a pitiful and exasperating sight.

But Levi had to ask as he took the hose from the shower and softly started washing Eren off, even if the answer meant he’d have to go amok later. “How many were they?” Eren was hugging himself, head sunken between his drawn shoulders, avoiding Levi’s intense stare as he spoke.

“I think… four…” The Corporal’s eyes formed vicious slits comparable to sharp, silver knives. How dare they, those worthless sludge suckers?! Levi couldn’t bear the disgust he felt for them.  
It wasn't his fault, right? Yet why did he feel so regretful, constantly trying to think of a way to make it up to Eren? His thoughts were racing. He was too close to running out of the room and tracking those wayward brutes down like a rabid bloodhound, knowing they were somewhere out there, but he had to be here for Eren now. He understood that much. And the boy’s wounds weren’t healing on their own yet either.  
That made Levi realize something he would never forgive himself for, although that logic was far too obsurd to be his way of thinking. He knew he could wash off the filth, but never the scars they had left on the boy’s soul, and the thought of it devastated him, haunting him into his subconscious. Guilt. Hatred, wrath, the wish for retaliation, it all piled up, and Levi had a hard time remaining still in order to not make things worse.

Eren lifted a hand like a lost kitten to wipe at his tears, but Levi stopped him. He took Eren’s wrist and pulled his arm over his shoulder so the boy was now wrapped around Levi’s neck for support, and the Corporal moved down on his knees, snaking one arm around Eren’s waist to hold him near. He didn’t know how to comfort people or treat a hurt child that was crying.  
He had moved on instinct as all he wanted was for Eren to stop quaking and start feeling safe again.

Eren rested his head on the man’s firm, warm shoulder, and roughly hitched with each breath he took. Levi’s comparably still and stable body was rather composed, easing the boy’s riled up, shattered mind. The man’s deep voice was thrown off the tiled walls as he quietly broke the silence. “I’m sorry, kid…” 

“…It’s… not your fault, Captain,” Eren whispered, and his superior answered hoarsely.

“Still, I’m the one who should have prevented it.” The shorter man felt the boy shake his head against the side of his face. 

“Didn’t you say so yourself, no one ever knows how it will turn out?... You couldn’t have foreseen this would happen.” 

“Well it’s happened. And it makes me sick whether it’s my fault or not,” Levi growled under his breath, and Eren started trembling again, remembering the incident. The strongest slowly straightened himself a bit in his kneeling position to keep hosing Eren off, and stopped talking about it.

Red streaks of blood poured into the tub, a path of crimson making its way to the drain like a poisonous snake trying to hide. Dammit, Levi cursed in his thoughts anew. They _better_ try to hide, for there was not a single place within or outside these walls where they would be safe once Levi found them. 

“Eren… we have to take care of your injury,” the man said in his usual, calm tone. Eren’s head flung up hearing those words, eyes filled with fear as he scrambled out the barely recognizable response.

“No… Corporal… I-“ 

“Don’t worry… Don’t worry, it’s just me. I won’t hurt you or laugh at you, Eren,” Levi assured the teen in the most composed voice he could manage given the situation. “Hold on to me and lift yourself a bit, I’ll just get all the blood off first.” Eren dug his face into his Captain’s neck out of shame, standing from where he sat. He bent over clinging to the shorter man who let Eren dig his nails into his back without complaint. They both knew what else Levi wanted to wash off. The man who crouched in front of him held up the hose to let warm water run over the sore body and tattered skin, cum stains and more blood starting to let off and wandering with the down pour. He gently scrubbed his hand over Eren’s thighs and lower back, thoughtfully washing off the dried gore, and finally moved on to the rear.

Carefully, Levi positioned his fingers at Eren’s entrance, softly rubbing at the strained and chapped little ring of muscle to look for any serious lacerations. With every movement the boy tensed and stiffened to the point of vibrating. Quiet whimpers escaped him every now and then as he twitched forward, closer to his superior and away from the uncomfortable touch.

“It’s ok… There’s nothing too big of a tear,” Levi tried soothing the teen somehow, hoping he’d recover from that shock. He caressed the soft skin, thoroughly washing him off everywhere around that area, sitting the boy down again when he was done. He let the water trickle over Eren's back once more while running a massaging hand up and down the teen's spine, cleansing him of sweat and faded, unwanted touches. Then finally the Corporal grabbed a towel and wrapped Eren up in it, rubbing him dry to keep him warm. Eren’s shirt was hung up to dry afterwards and Levi picked the vulnerable bundle up into his arms anew, carrying him into his quarters where he sat him down on the bed. 

Eren watched the short man as he got out an emergency kit. His shirt too was wet everywhere Eren had touched and clung to his defined muscles that were clearly recognizable now that the blouse was see-through. The teen felt bad knowing he wouldn’t forgive himself if the strongest fell ill because of him. 

“Corporal… your clothes,... You should change before you catch a cold.” 

“I have greater worries right now, Eren. First we’ll take care of your injuries that haven’t healed yet.”, Levi answered sitting on the bedside, putting down the kit. He lifted his gaze into Eren’s anxious, jade blue eyes and his hand warmly touched the boy’s cheek. Levi’s thumb caressed a swollen, red bruise on the corner of Eren’s mouth to take a look at it and his hand left Eren’s face just as quick again.  
The Corporal drew his attention back down to the kit, grabbing a plaster to cover the cracked skin with. Eren’s eyes never left the man throughout his movements.

Again Levi cupped the boy’s face in order to hold him still and even out the plaster by dragging his thumb over it mildly enough not to hurt him.  
The man discovered a light scar on Eren’s forehead, slightly drawn over his eyebrow and couldn’t suppress the anger that forced him to concentrate more on his subordinate again. After all Eren was the only thing that kept Levi from going into an unhealthy Fuck-The-Police mode. 

“Tche…” He got out a bigger bandage, carefully setting it over the wound as Eren observed him with cautious eyes. “What did they do here?”, came the question while Levi’s fingers drove through the boy’s hair where some had been cut off. 

“I-I’m not sure… they blindfolded me. But they had knives so-… I guess they cut a strand?”, Eren explained huskily before clearing his throat at how painfully unsure he sounded. The Corporal blinked tiredly but with dismay and huffed out a poisonous sigh at the ridiculing gesture the assaulters had left behind. 

“… Lay back.” 

“Mh-…” Eren was ready to protest but thought better of it and sunk into the Corporal’s pillow with a silent wince. He looked up at his superior almost pleading. 

“It’s going to be alright, Eren.”, Levi spoke promisingly and slightly tilted his head. “Will you let me touch you?” That serene and sincere bedroom gaze somehow reassured Eren and he slowly nodded, closing his eyes shut to drown out the unpleasant rest of the world leaving only the Corporal’s protective, warm hands and his gentle touches.

Levi grazed the bare body resting in his bed, nursing all the little cuts and bruises with a protection balm and bandages. He also made sure Eren wasn’t too cold, pulling the blankets over him whenever they slipped out of place. By the time Levi moved lower and lower Eren started trembling again.  
The older started to slightly massage and knead Eren’s upper thighs to relax him, get him used to the contact and luckily it worked.  
The teen obediently pulled up his legs for Levi’s access and barely made any noise when the man dipped into the balm, rubbed it between his fingers until it had body temperature and began to smear it around the tormented, sore area. 

“Does it still hurt anywhere?”, Levi asked in a smooth, deep voice, his half lidded eyes absorbed in his work as he made slow, long drawn and intense movements to reassure and not startle the boy.

“… No… I’m ok now.”, Eren responded shakily and hesitantly looked up to see his superior wipe his hands clean from the lotion with his cravat. “Can I go… get me something to drink?” Levi’s steel grey eyes darted over at the teen. 

“You.”, he answered grabbing the blanket and covering up Eren’s naked lower half. “You’re not going anywhere.” 

“But-“, Eren wanted to protest when Levi stood from the bed. 

“Just let me get it.”, the shorter man cut him off, rolling his eyes. 

“Corporal!!”, the teen sat up hurriedly and grabbed Levi’s arm, yelping slightly by the sudden movement yet he managed to bring the other to a halt. His superior turned his head with a confused and expectant frown but let Eren speak. “I-… Thank you…” Levi watched in amazement as the kid turned bloody red, avoiding Levi’s iron gaze. The grip Eren had on Levi’s wrist loosened and his hands fell into his lap. Levi’s - now free to move again - lifted Eren’s chin with an earnest expression. 

“Look at me if you’re going to thank me. I won’t bite, will I?” The boy’s eyes widened incredulously. “Don’t let yourself be intimidated that easily.” Not even by the Corporal? Eren wondered, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Something like that from none other than his superior. Humanity’s strongest who was the embodiment of intimidation.  
With that Levi walked off to get a glass of water.  
Eren thanked Levi, this time looking at him and took little sips of his drink while Levi sat down again, crossing his arms. 

“Now that I think of it.”, he started in his typically monotone voice. “Weren’t you the one with the ‘fight back’ attitude?... Why didn’t you turn into a titan and defend yourself?” Eren looked up from his glass, gulping nervously before he forced himself to explain. 

“I… I didn’t want to cause any trouble. I’m pretty sure that’s what they wanted to achieve… They wanted me to get myself into trouble and I wasn’t willing to give them that satisfaction… So I just… endured it.” 

“You know you’re allowed to transform when you’re in danger, Eren.” Levi’s voice rose not all that measured anymore, he sounded angry. “Hell, even if I'd had to soar out of bed in pajamas to cut you out of that thing, it would’ve still been better than what you let them do to you.”  
Eren jerked back somewhat and let his head hang low, shoulders shuddering again. Tears started dripping into his glass of water, his eyes hidden under his chocolate cream hair.  
Levi’s glare vanished from his face when he saw a tear splashing into the water. His eyes widened with concern and he suddenly felt his heart wrench again. He had made him cry. He had made Eren cry again even though he wanted to protect him.

What a worthless piece of shit I am, Levi thought as he put the glass on the nightstand and pulled the hitching boy into his arms with a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry,… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that. You’re right… You made the decision you would regret least and therefore it was a good decision…”  
Levi knew no matter what he said it would not make Eren’s pain go away nor his own. He felt responsible for the boy’s suffering even more so now and each and every sob, every single weep stung like a burning spear melting into his pulsing heart. 

Eren was right. Who would’ve believed him in court, if he’d accidentally killed four men? Even if it was self-defense, his rights were highly reduced and qualities overlooked by the ignorance of the MP. This one time the impulsive brat had managed to think things through and sacrificed far more than anybody should have to in Levi’s opinion. He was sure it wasn’t just Eren’s challenging attitude that forced him to such an act of defiance, to leave his pride behind just to deny them their _true_ will. He must've been terrified. Intimidated by the consequences that would've been sure to come had he defended himself.  
The Corporal tensed up, holding Eren tighter and rubbing his back. 

“Kid, I’m so sorry. Don’t cry because of a stupid old man who doesn’t know what he’s saying.”

“No- uhg- No, Corporal you’re right… Nh- I can’t always take it as a matter of course- hih that-… you will be there to rescue me if-… anything happens. That’s why- Mikasa too-“ 

“Shush, Eren. Calm down… _Take it_ as a matter of course. That’s an order.”, Levi cut the stammering boy off. He pulled back a bit to look at him but right after wished he hadn’t. The ocean green eyes were red and swollen, overflowing with tears and humanity’s strongest cursed himself, knowing he put them there.  
If only he could take it back, everything he said and just fucking hold the boy like he should have from the beginning. Eren wasn’t a monster after all, he had proven so after tonight, he was still just a child. A lonely, scared child and he needed to be comforted.

Levi wanted to cry himself, his gut twisting in anguish; he felt the disturbing feeling of regret creep on.  
However he forced himself to keep his composure and wiped at Eren’s tears instead. 

“Listen Eren… I shouldn’t have said that… I only did ‘cause this whole thing is pissing me off to no extent. I just wish I could’ve prevented it. It’s nothing rare that I’m powerless. I have no hand in a lot of situations but to think that you- I’m only getting so worked up about it because you… You… Eren you…”, Levi trailed off and didn’t finish his sentence, slowly getting lost in the teen’s drenched, ocean green eyes. Eren had stopped crying hearing his superior’s words and was trying to breathe properly now, looking up at him. How badly he wished to be protected by this man. To be his one and only. Everything else was forgotten so fast when he was there. He sniffled softly, letting the pain be absorbed by Levi's presence.

This kid, he can never be mine, Levi thought at the same time. _Impossible_ , it hissed in his head over and over again. “Corporal?”, Eren asked and Levi slowly let go of the boy, turning away. His robust arms retreated, limply falling back to his sides. He looked forward avoiding Eren’s eyes. “Corporal…”, the teen approached once again. Levi felt an arm hesitantly snake over his shoulders and wrap around his neck but his gaze stayed locked on the plain wall across from him. Eren’s nails dug into Levi’s shirt as he tried nudging him a bit to get his attention. Levi didn’t respond. 

“Corporal Levi I-…”, Eren continued and the man shivered by the sound of his name rolling off the boy’s tongue. “I understand.”, the teen said straight forward.  
This time the Corporal’s eyes did flutter to the boy if also he didn’t move, he quietly retorted in barely more than a whisper. 

“You do, huh?” Eren nodded shyly. “What makes you think that?”, his superior wanted to know. 

“Well… it’s something we both can’t really say for sure… Yet we care for each other… and would actually like to express ourselves… Right? Because it… feels better.”, Eren tried explaining it to the best of his abilities, his voice still a bit hoarse from crying and he was trembling unconfidently. "Feels better when you're here than when you're not.", he quickly and quietly added in a hushed rush.  
_This brat… can’t ever be mine._ The echo faded in Levi’s mind and he finally turned his head to face Eren. “And if so?... What are we to do?”

The boy didn’t say anything, his eyes only briefly blinked at Levi’s lips as the man appeared to be coming closer. Levi faltered towards him, his expression cold, blank even. Eren was still partly wrapped around his neck and couldn’t pull away so instead he squeezed his eyes shut and hurriedly pecked his superior, eyes widening innocently right after.

“What are we? In kindergarten or something?”, Levi stayed expressionless. Eren’s lips came back connecting with Levi’s once more but this time his superior took his chance, leaned in and opened the boy’s mouth, pushing his tongue in. Eren blushed wildly and stemmed his hands against Levi’s toned chest. “Mhh-!“  
They both fell over into the feather cushion exploring each other’s taste, sucking and smacking between muffled sounds of satisfaction. The Corporal stopped to let Eren breathe and the teen drew in air as if he had finally reached the surface of a bottomless and suffocating pool he'd been drowning in. 

“Brat…”, Levi scolded, not serious at all and Eren finally had to smile at that, if also a bit shaky.  
Levi looked down on him noticing the way the boy was locked in place by his arms, how he was at his mercy. He felt uncomfortable all of a sudden, guilty even. 

“We should stop.” 

“What-? No, Corporal I’m sorry-“, Eren began to stutter worriedly, thinking the older had changed his mind and wanting to keep his superior close but he was cut off as the man shook his head. 

“I didn’t mean… It’s just your lip is swelling; I don’t want it to start bleeding again.”

“It’ll heal, it’ll heal soon anyway if you stay with me!”, Eren contradicted.

“Relax, Eren. I’m not going anywhere… But I’m willing to bet that you barely slept tonight. So close your eyes and rest.”, Levi commanded and continued when Eren opened his mouth to protest. “That’s an order too.” Obediently the boy’s mouth shut right away but he looked up at his Corporal somewhat disappointed. “Don’t give me that look, brat.”, the shorter man whispered and obediently Eren’s eyes flew shut as well. “I’ll be right here when you wake up.”, the older man assured him briefly.  
Levi lay there by his side, observing the boy’s peaceful expression. The thought that Eren was being violated while the Corporal was sound asleep, sickened him to the point of losing his voice to a tight knot in his throat and he added in a quiet murmur more or less to soothe himself as well.

“I’ll protect you, Eren… Take it as a matter of course.” This time he would. And if it meant he'd have to become Eren's everything, then so be it. Because being close to him indeed felt better than being apart.

**The End?**

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for having read thus far ^^' *salutes*
>
>> ####  [My tumblr: Feel free to stop by!](https://corporaljaegerssweetass.tumblr.com/)


End file.
